Garden Portrait: St Michael’s Mount
I have traversed to St Michael’s Mount several times over the years and even climbed up to the castle itself a couple of times, but I have never been to the garden as it is only open for a short time from the end of April until September. But this year I was there on the first open day of the season at low tide so that I could walk over the causeway connecting the island to the mainland at Marazion.
It is the most remarkable garden exposed to gales and salty winds, but the Gulf Stream keeps the frosts away and the granite rock acts as a giant radiator – absorbing heat by day and releasing it at night creating a micro climate in which all sorts of plants flourish from Mexico, Canary Islands, New Zealand, Chile, and South Africa.
The gardens are on the rocky slopes and are not easily accessible with the steep and narrow paths, steps and terraces and require constant maintenance and conservation to keep them in good condition. As you enter the garden on the east side you follow an avenue of Cordyline australis with views over Mount’s Bay towards the Lizard. The Laundry Lawn is a place for relaxing, playing and picnicking. The steep bank to your right (see header photo) is part of the defences during the English Civil War and on your left is a Pill Box from the second world war. And as you reach this point, you see ahead of you the dramatic East Terrace, rearing up above your head to the east wing of the castle.
Now comes the difficult part. To reach the upper slopes you have to scramble up the steep paths where aloes and agaves rear out of the bedrock and exotic succulents cling to every crevice imaginable. Some paths have steep drops, some have handrails, others do not. Aloes flourish and on the top you reach The Tortoise Lawn where you find a Victorian well. Another pathway takes you into the Walled Gardens. Not only do you need good footwear, but also a head for heights as below you is the dizzying drop to the sea and above you rises the sheer sides of the castle.
A profusion of colour greets you as you move into the West Terraces. South African Osteospermum spread over the granite walls. I am taken aback as I only know these as late spring and summer flowers and it is still only April. Geraniums, pelargoniums, Leucondendrum argenteum and Aeonium rise up amongst Agave and Aloes.
The planting on such steep slopes is overwhelming. I am lost for words as I look around me, not knowing which pathway to take. I have never seen a garden like this and I am stunned to think what I have been missing all these years.
And all the while you are aware of the great expanse of the bay, the endless sky and the incredible clear light and all the hard work that must go into creating and maintaining such a wondrous garden. It is magical.
A separate post will appear with close-ups of some of the succulents in this garden. It was just too difficult to decide which of my many photos to leave out!
And this is a birthday post for the OH who unfortunately was unable to access much of this garden due to the nature of the terrain and his vertigo. But he was very happy to test a bench for me and look out over the bay towards the Lizard peninsula whilst I meandered. (Between you and me I think he was grateful to have a rest )
We first visited this unusual garden in late April 2015 when we just happened to still be in Cornwall on holiday when the garden opened up for the season. Usually we were either too early or too late. We have been back since, but this is my first impression. Originally written on my flower blog for my OH’s birthday at the end of May, this post is a contribution to Fandango’s Flashback Friday. Have you got a post you wrote in the past on this particular day? The world might be glad to see it – either for the first time – or again if they’re long-time loyal readers.
TRAVEL WORDS 
I saw on BBC News 24 last wek that they were advertising for a live-in warden for the castle on the mount. That’s a job I would surely have loved, when I was younger and fitter.
Best wishes, Pete. x
I’d love to live there (and there is a lift up to the castle I believe) but it does get very busy!
What a remarkable place for such a beautiful garden!
Yes, it’s quite unique.
stunning Jude, guessing this year it will be packed out with visitors
I read that Cornwall is expecting 400,000 visitors this half term week. I hope they are not all travelling down there tomorrow!
yikes!!
And half of them were in the supermarket when we got back!!! 😱
aaargh!!!!
I’d never heard of this although I’ve seen many photos of its French counterpart, so thanks very much for introducing me to it. The castle is wonderful but those gardens!! I’d love to see them and get a good workout as well. 🙂
janet
It is of course very different to the French one which is a small town, but the causeway is similar I suppose. I haven’t been up to the castle in years, it is a steep climb up there to the top!
How beautiful. On my one and only visit there I didn’t see the gardens.
We’d visited the mount several times, but never when the garden was open. It was so lovely to finally get to see it on that occasion. Been back since of course, but it does get extremely busy.
Beautiful place. We visited some time ago and enjoyed it, Well worth a visit.
It is exceptional, and very, very busy during the summer. I might not make it there again this year, unless restrictions are lifted.
You seem to have had a quite magical day, I bet you relived it all over again, republishing this post.
It was an eye opener on that first visit, I did not expect to see such southern hemisphere plants here in the UK and it kind of settled it for me that Cornwall had to be my next home.
It’s as good a reason as any for choosing a home. And it worked for you.
Quite. And being away for the first in over a year makes me appreciate even more the relatively peace and quiet of where we live. (Now if only I could silence that bull).
There’s got to be ONE cloud.
I didn’t know about this so enjoyed the post even more. What a glorious place. I wish I were fitter and then I could plan a visit maybe!
I usually visit each year at least once, but last year they had a one way system up the terraces and I like to choose my own pathway, some are seriously steep!
Thank you for sharing your travels. The images are gorgeous!
Thank you.
A feast! 🙂 🙂 Happy birthday to himself!
Many thanks Jo! We will be out for lunch on Monday and a visit to one of our closest gardens for a treat. Then we shall probably be staying at home for the rest of the week and the week after when Boris and his kinsmen come to town 😱